DAR names Good Citizen Award winners

GRINNELL — Good Citizen Awards were presented to four area high school seniors at the Grinnell Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution meeting Saturday, March 9, at the Newton Public Library.

For this year’s essay, students were asked, “What are the civic responsibilities of a good citizen and why are these duties, activities and behaviors important to the shaping of the America you hope to experience?’

First place winner of the contest was Cassidy Smith, from Colfax-Mingo High School.

Smith is involved in National Honor Society, student council, the robotics team, soccer (where she is the captain), concert and pep band, drama, speech and National Society of High School Scholars.

She has taken flight lessons and is part of the Civil Air Patrol where she was the 2nd Drone Technician in Iowa Wing (the first female). She was Cadet of the Year for her local squadron and NCO of the Year at the state level.

Smith is training to qualify in search and rescue. She is active in her community, volunteering with the school blood drive, Iowa Speedway parking and Meals From the Heartland and has made quilts for veterans and nonprofit organizations.

She takes college level courses through DMACC and works part-time at restaurants in her community.

Smith plans to attend Minnesota State University, Mankato and earn a degree in commercial aviation after which she plans to fly for an airline or join the Air National Guard.

Smith received a $250 award and a DAR Good Citizens pin.

Runners-up were Camryn McLeod, Newton High School; William Brown, Baxter High School; and Jack Erselius, Montezuma High School. Each received $50 awards and DAR Good Citizen pins.

Camryn McLeod

McLeod is an executive board member of her high school’s student council, a YMCA Board youth representative and is active in organizations such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Battle of the Books.

McLeod earned a silver cord for performing 100 hours of volunteer work in her community. She is a member of the National Honor Society and was a Kiwanis Student of the Month.

McLeod plans to go to college to major in social work and minor in psychology. She plans to earn her master’s degree in social work and build a career in correctional social work with an emphasis on incarcerated women.

William Brown

Brown is a member of his high school choir and sang the national anthem for an Iowa Wild game. He was a member of the state qualifying team of the academic Decathlon and won third place individual honors at the regional competition with individual recognition in art, economics, math and science.

Brown is a member of the National Honor Society and of Phi Theta Kappa through DMACC where he takes college level courses. His community service includes his Boy Scout Eagle project, the Hoover Uncommon Student Service Project, community theater and church youth group.

After graduation Brown plans to attend college and study data science at either Cornell College or Simpson College.

Jack Erselius

Erselius is a member of the National Honor Society and has participated in five sports for four years of high school: cross-country, basketball, track, golf and baseball.

He has participated in pep, concert and jazz bands. He competed on Montezuma High School’s personal finance competition team that advanced to state and came in second.

Erselius also competed in speech and drama and made it to state with his team.

One of his favorite activities is being a part of a unique program called the Football Stat Crew which records statistics in real time during games and enters them into a computer program (created by Jack) which calculates the analytics used by the coaches during half time and a more basic version that can be viewed by the fans after the game.

Erselius is active in his church and works in the lawn care and snow removal business with his father. He plans to attend Iowa State University and major in business analytics and hopes to work in sports analytics.

The DAR Good Citizens Program began in 1934 to recognize high school seniors who demonstrate the four qualities of a good citizen — dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

Selected by their teachers and peers, one student per year is honored as a school’s DAR Good Citizen. The selected student then writes a two hour proctored essay which is judged to determine the chapter award winner.